Thirsty Thursday: Advent Affirmations

Merry CHRISTmas Eve!

This Advent, I’ve been blessed with books gifted by my nearest and dearest:

• From Bishop Mike before my Dissertation Defense: Pope Francis in the U.S.: Words of Mercy and Hope (2015), Daughters of St. Paul.
• From Bestie Evie & Mama Maggie after my Dissertation Defense: A Little GOD Time: Devotional Journal (2014), BroadStreet Publishing.
• From my PhD alma mater, Our Lady of the Lake after my Grad Ring Blessing: Advent 2015: Daily Reflections, Practices & Prayers: A Season of Mercy (2015), David M. Knight.
• From Bestie Evie at our CHRISTmas Gift Exchange Brunch: Pope Francis: In His Own Words (2013), Julie Schwietert Collazo & Lisa Rogak.

Each of these readings have offered enlightening passages for me to lead the ☼day.

May GOD bless us everyone! ✌

Motivational Manic Monday: Series I, Round I

♫Columbus sailed the ocean blue♪ … which are as deep & true as my Grad Cat‘s baby blues! Here, I’m bringing out those blues with my *NEW* Adam Lippes for Target sweater dress vest ~ my gray go-to playful plaid layering piece this fall!

Happy Columbus Day!

Stats Cat‘s got my back on Columbus Day & always as I rock out my Anchor & Sailor Wheel earrings!

As I prepare for my committee defense, I’m connecting and comparing my upcoming dissertation presentations to playoffs for post-season sports:

• After advancing from my Concept Proposal (Fall 2013) * Proposal Defense (♣Spring♣ 2014) * IRB Approval (Fall 2014) * Research Methods (Fall 2014-☼Summer☼ 2015) * Running Statistics (☼Summer☼ 2015) * Run-Throughs (Fall 2015) …

1. First Series: Committee Defense (for my team of 3 professors) — 2 Rounds anticipated
2. Second Series: Faculty Defense (for my entire conference of professors) — 2-3+ Rounds anticipated
3. Third and Final Championship Series: Public Dissertation Defense to become Doctor (for anybody and everybody) — last Round, a.k.a. the Final Reveal before my well-anticipated graduation

So, who is my competition, you ask?

I could say my faculty of professors, but they’re on my side to succeed, so I’ll have to go with myself on my level of resilience to determine whether I stay and sustain through the game: Yours Truly vs. Yours Truly

I got this! Bring on the determination and confidence!! No thanks to the fear and discouragement!!!

Also, my good family friend, fellow devout Catholic, my ♥Tita Lydia♥ pointed out to me this:

My Doctoral Degree is my Vocation

Study Saturday: Presentation Prep

Who would’ve thought that the advice offered by Belinda Selene in this month’s Seventeen magazine would actually help yours truly (who’s double the title age)?

Belinda Selene also suggests concealer to prime eye shadow ~ which can be used in lieu of eye liner to prevent smudges! | Courtesy Seventeen magazine, October 2015

Indeed, this tip is relevant to ~ not only social media trendsetters with followers, but also ~ anyone who has an audience ~ in particular:

• My speech students, including for their upcoming informative speeches
• Yours truly in my rounds of dissertation defense, starting with committee

Apparently, Jessica Alba must be extremely influential with her following ~ she’s now branded produce! | Courtesy Seventeen magazine, October 2015

Bottom Line: Public Speaking revolves around our Audience, just as Writing revolves around our Readers!

I’ve already been on-point with making this Neutrogena base for my face as my go-to double-function foundation for SPF coverage and acne prevention/protection! | Courtesy Seventeen magazine, October 2015

Study Saturday: Prime Time Wisdom

Advice / Anecdotes (like the Alliteration?) from Fall TV

Grey’s Anatomy revolves around Dr. Meredith Grey (center), here with her ½-sister from her late mom, Dr. Ellis Grey’s side, Dr. Margaret Pierce, a.k.a. “Maggie” (to her right/viewer’s left) & sister-in-law from her late husband, Dr. Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. “McDreamy‘s” side, Dr. Amelia Shepherd (to her left/viewer’s right) after they demolished a wall ~ as my doc friend–turned published author says, we “build out of bricks,” so here these 3 are, starting over from scratch. #HomeReno #DISPObustAFlow Rando Info: Doesn’t the actress who plays Maggie look like the Special K commercial chick in lumberjack (red and black) plaid on a bus? | Courtesy ABC

Grey’s Anatomy on Leadership

Be worthy of being believed in, of being looked up to.

~ Dr. Edwards to “the other” Dr. Shepherd* (Feb. 26, 2015)

You have to lead.

~ Dr. Harmon to “the other” Dr. Shepherd* (Feb. 26, 2015)

Being a leader isn’t about whether they’ll listen to you, it’s whether they believe in you.

~ former Chief Dr. Richard Webber to new Chief Dr. Miranda Bailey (Oct. 1, 2015)

I call this GA 360 because this is relevant to followers and leaders alike:

• Mentors, in the resident’s case of following the attendings
• Speakers, in my college public speaking students‘ case
• Leaders, as I’ve studied for my Doctor of Philosophy

Confidence

“There’s a scientific study that shows that if you stand in superhero pose for just five minutes before a job interview or a big presentation or a really hard task, you will not only feel confident, but you will perform measurably better.

~ *Dr. Amelia Shepherd to Dr. Edwards on Grey’s (March 5, 2015)

From Big Bang Theory {next three examples}

Dr. Leonard: “I’m a little nervous” (about approaching George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch).

Dr. Sheldon Cooper: “Get over it. Confidence is key in these situations.”

Empathy

It’s an evolutionary advantage to be included in things.” [as I teach about affection being a basic interpersonal/social need]

~ Dr. Amy [played by real-life Ph.D. and the Blossom star from 2½ decades ago] about feeling left out to empathize with bf Sheldon

Alliteration and Assonance

You are the King Kong of Ping Pong. You are the Menace of Table Tennis … You said you played Badminton? More like Sadminton!

~ Dr. Howard to Dr. Raj

Progress

You know why you’re acting this way? You’re so close! I’ve been there … When you’re about to make a breakthrough. Keep going. Don’t stop.

~ Dr. Derek Shepherd to Dr. Caliet (wannabe mistress) on GA (March 26, 2015)

^– I most certainly must heed this as I approach my finish line! –^ 

Side chart note: Without McDreamy and McSteamy in the mix at Seattle Grace (now Grey-Sloan ~ bad-to-the-bone), it’s “Attending Poser” / *NEW* *HOT* Intern who I’ll chase [not really — just making time to rhyme as always all days]! #DISPObustAFlow 

Working Woman’s Wednesday: Sabbatical Schedule

I’ve been making the most out of this second 🚣🏻summer🌅 session away from teaching to keep cranking💻 out my doctoral🎓 📖dissertation until school starts!

With my smaller home office space during my sabbatical, I make the most of my workstation with eye candy ~ so *ASIA* adorns the side of this desk! 💺😻📷💻📇

My work load on finishing my draft📝 that details

• 📕the purpose of my study
• 📗supportive scholarly📚 publications,
• 📘research📉 📈methods,
• 📙statistics📊 and
• 📜conclusion📇

has occupied the majority of everyday these past six weeks ~ so this can compare to a full time job!

S is for: 💡Scholar✨ = 🌈Social📳 🔭Scientist🔬

Just when I didn’t think that my eye candy could get any better with Grad Cat, enter Stats Cat Sweet Annie! 📊📉📈🐱🐈

 Despite not needing to report to a classroom everyday or answer to anyone, I as my own boss during my sabbatical still maintained a schedule.

My Around-the-Clock⏰ to Become Doc Routine

• 🌇Daily😵 😲wake-up😳 📋non-negotiables: prayer (the Rosary), skin care, feed A&A
• 🍳Breakfast🍊 of 🏆Champs: fuel⛽️ up (postpone coffee☕️ to 2h after I wake up to help me sleep more easily later)
• 💪🏽Beast👊🏽 💓Mode: work out to get my brain juices & blood flowing
• 💡Scholar⚡️ 📓Mode: revise my working document for as many as 12h/day
• Shower: taking a cold one on these hot dog days of summer can energize me between my workout and study session or I’ll relax in the bath between my scholarshift and bed time to snuggle in clean sheets
• 🌈Pleasure🌟👓Reading: I haven’t read as much non-scholarly material as I used to love to before college & grad school, but I’ve found that a little bit helps to ease my mind & unwind lately ~ my current reads are relevant to my research in an unconventional way (stay tuned this Study Saturday)
• 💭Choose😴 to 💤Snooze: as a chronic insomniac, I must make a conscientious effort to hit the sack ~ while I tend to stay up late reviewing and proofing my paper, I find that I’m more effective when I work on it earlier in the day with energy!

Just like Vince Carter had discipline with the Dallas Mavericks a couple of seasons ago, I also didn’t take break days! Yes, it’s essential to have some R&R, but at this point, I’m

In the Zone 🎯

So I can’t afford a single day off …

Therefore, I take 🌴mini-vacays, even for just a few minutes or hours⌚️ for my stories

Motivational Monday: Making History

Today was one of those perfect productive ☼days☼ …

What better way to kick off my so-called ♣Spring Break♣?

• My good friend‘s book is making history (literally) and waves ~ here on Texas Public Radio ~ an inspiration!
• On my agenda, I interviewed the Rhodes Brothers for the biography, in addition to helping with their foundation
• I progressed further into my doctoral research, partially from my interviews in addition to more schools I can survey

Now my Doogie Howser, MD (YES, my Neil Patrick Harris love runs deep and dates back before HIMYM‘s Bro Code and Playbook‘s Barney Stinson) “blog” question is this:

Would I prefer to make history or write about it?

To which, my answer would be: BOTH ~†GOD†-willing!

Study Saturday: Every Moment Counts

With all of the abundant activities that have called for my attention lately, I’ve been mustering up every extra waking moment away to work on my dissertation ~ which is why I’ve actually appreciated these recent snow days.

• Some of my colleagues have considered their own hours per day of dedication on their doctoral research as shift work
• Others have only been able to devote even just a few minutes per day to their study

Lately, I’ve fallen under the latter category, rather than the former. Once upon a time, I was able to spend a whole work day’s worth, but with countless demands, I’m fortunate to invest up to an hour or so; for instance, with the additional studies that my department requires for us to review for our doctoral degrees, I’ve included at least one more per day. Regardless of how much time I’ve been able to write and research, the process is paying off as I keep making progress

Because not a day passes without my discipline and determination to stay focused and deter distractions.

Unless you count my catastrophic pleasant distractions, including my neighbor, who’s welcome to chillax ’til her ♥heart’s♥ content snow or ☼shine☼

#DOnotDisturb mode

After our early week Snow Day and before our Snow Weekend

And with †GOD’s† ☼grace☼